


Colors

by chai_and_coffee



Series: Colors [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Part Two, Romance, Soulmate AU, Soulmate Color AU, businessman!shiro, scientist allura!, shallura - Freeform, slowburn, tooth rootting fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-13 11:45:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17487479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chai_and_coffee/pseuds/chai_and_coffee
Summary: How do you function after your soulmate, the very person that holds the other half of your heart, simply leaves?How do you function after you realize that it was your fault that she’s gone?For Shiro, the answer was to work. Work was supposed to have the rigors needed, work was supposed to occupy his brain and leave him to not think about anything else, work was supposed to be his safe haven.For Allura, the answer was to pretend nothing ever happened. A new name, a new place, a new start away from the crushing rejection she placed on herself.They should have known better to resist the soulmate bond.





	Colors

How do you function after your soulmate, the very person that holds the other half of your heart, simply leaves?

 

How do you function after you realize that it was your fault that she’s gone?

 

For Shiro, the answer was to work. Work was supposed to have the rigors needed, work was supposed to occupy his brain and leave him to not think about anything else, work was supposed to be his safe haven.

 

But even she was there too. She was there, sitting across from him and giving him a sad smile, telling him to eat. She was there, curled up on the couch napping with that fuzzy blanket she liked so much. 

 

She was there, yet she wasn’t there. So he got rid of her. 

 

He got rid of that couch, got rid of the furniture, anywhere where she had sat or interacted with. His office looked nothing like how it had a few weeks ago. He got rid of every single trace of her. 

 

Except for those post-it notes. Those were neatly swept into a box, tucked under a dark part of his bed where he could only access it after a few drinks and tears had been shed. 

 

On Shiro’s to-do list, there were only three things. 

 

  1. Finish. 
  2. Be a better person.
  3. Get back Allura.



 

It was going to be a while before he got to the third one. He was adamant that he would finish what he had to do first before reclaiming his soulmate. 

 

But damn, if she wasn’t right. If he had let her in, if he had taken the opportunity to let her support him while he worked, this would have been much easier. 

 

But then again, despite all his GDP and all his intelligence, he had been dead set on taking the hard way out. Nice job, asshole. 

 

So, he worked. Day and night. Ramen became his staple, and although he had really liked the instant meal at first, there was only so much ramen a person could eat before starting to tire of it. So he moved onto Maggi. Whoever failed to tell him that the Indian version of Ramen had 50+ flavors was an asshole. 

 

People in his life were nonexistent. Pidge, Matt, Lance, they had called every day when he had originally started isolating himself from them, but even they stopped calling after the hundredth time that he didn’t pick up. 

 

Keith was the only one he talked to, and even then, things were hard. He could hear the reproach in his brother’s voice, the plain accusation of losing his soulmate…

 

It was at home that he could finally break down, in the security of his own four walls, and mourn the loss of his Allura. After a glass of whiskey, a loosening of his tie, he could reach for the shoebox that had all her little notes and colored pens. 

 

He remembered how he had scoffed at her for the first time for her brazen pen use. Now, he was left with only the memory of how tenderly he had removed the sparkly ink from her palms. 

 

Maybe this time away was good. He could reflect about himself as a person. Looking back, he realized what an asshole he was to her. He could barely apologize for his scathing comments, yet she tried to manage him patiently. 

 

Oh, who was he kidding? The time away was absolute hell. He missed her, with every fiber of his being. 

 

**ONE MONTH POST SEPARATION:**

 

Things did not get better. Whoever said that deserved a slap. 

 

His sleep schedule became even more irregular, he worked more and more. The more he worked, the more he wasn’t sure what he was working towards. What was his end goal? Yeah, he wanted to go back to his hometown and show everyone who had proved him wrong, but what made him inspired to go on his revenge mission?

 

He figured, that the sign would come and he would understand it. 

 

He should have hit himself, seeing how he was exhausted and was barely living. 

 

Although his office space was void of anything that was the least bit related to his soulmate, his lock screen on his phone was a picture of Allura, caught mid-laugh. It was a photo she had taken herself, and he figured that she had stolen his phone at sometime to take the pictures. 

 

He loved them, so as a way to motivate him, and to keep torturing him in his own personal hell, he set it as his lockscreen. 

 

It was a reminder that he had things to reach, things to go to, before he could get the life he craved with the woman he loved. 

 

**THREE MONTHS POST SEPARATION:**

 

He wasn’t sure he was going to make it. The way he was continuing, it seemed like he was on the steady path towards destruction, and he was not ready for that. He was not ready to fail, he was not ready to burn out. 

 

But yet, he was. It was like he had sandbags tied to his entire body, weighing him down and making him groggy. He didn’t have the motivation or energy to get out of bed. Anything that he ate simply melted in his mouth like sawdust. 

 

He was so, so tired. Ready to give up. He wanted to….to go back. To beg and plead for Allura to accept him, to let her hold him and hush him and take his worries away. 

 

There were days where the feeling was exceptionally bad, where everything in him was a swirl of violent emotions he didn’t know he had the energy for. 

 

A small part of him remembered the lifeline of his phone, and he lifted the device, seeing the laughing picture beaming back at him. 

 

And it wasn’t like she was magic, or anything, but maybe it got a bit easier to breathe, and he was able to slide out of bed and start his day. 

 

**SEVEN MONTHS POST - SEPARATION**

 

Somewhere along the line (around the fifth month), he got his head in the game again. It involved going to a therapist, spilling out his worries, and getting the drive back once more. 

 

Now? Now he was unstoppable. He was ready to achieve his closure, ready for his hard work to pay off. He ate here and there, but it was healthy. He worked out for thirty minutes everyday. The strict regimen gave him something to clear his mind, something to tire him out so he could sink into a dreamless sleep the moment his head hit the pillow. 

 

He talked to her, too. 

 

Not her, her. But her picture. A small “I’m tired” yawned to her smiling picture when he stumbled into bed, a wry grin and a “I’m almost done,” when he felt the work dragging on, and it was enough to keep him going. She never responded, as a picture could not, but the smile was enough answer for him. 

 

Man, screw working. At this rate, he could write a killer romance novel about his life and Allura’s, and make tons of money off of that. 

 

But this was never about money, not really. 

 

** ELEVEN MONTHS POST - SEPARATION **

 

Eleven months was a long time. Almost a year, just missing a small month. Shiro was gearing up to find his soulmate. He hadn’t received his sign just yet, he was still waiting on that front, but he was determined to not let any more time pass. He knew how one year stretched into two, into three, and if he didn’t see her for two years or more, he wouldn’t make it. 

 

In the eleven months, Shiro had changed. His arms became more muscular, his body toned and fit instead of looking weak and sickly. He remembered to shave, to look presentable, to ensure that he was keeping himself okay. 

 

Maybe it was from the stress, the separation, or the constant working, but a small little patch of gray hairs had made its way to the bangs that hung over his face. Keith teased him about it here and there, calling him an old man, but he rather thought that the look gave him a look of sophistication. 

 

He had also made a list. A list of the things he was going to do when he saw Allura. It was pretty short, but it went something like this. 

 

Say hi. 

Ask if you’re intruding. 

Explain that you’re done with work and you’re ready to commit yourself to her. 

Tell her you love her, you missed her...everything. 

 

Just in case, remember. 5 Weeks. 

  
  


Now, it wasn’t exactly romantic for someone to have scripted everything before a meeting, but the list was one of the many things that gave Shiro hope. He was going to see Allura. He was going to make things better. He was going to get himself back. 

 

** THIRTEEN MONTHS POST - BREAKUP **

 

Thirteen months was when it happened. 

 

It wasn’t even at the office. He was in bed, curled up under the warmth of his comforter, light from his phone screen illuminating his face.

 

Flip, flip, flip.

 

It had been the same old news stories, all about what the crazy ass president was doing now, what the latest celebrity scandal was, that NASA had discovered something that could be possible, but they weren’t really sure….

 

He came across a Forbes page, listing the most powerful people in the world. Interested, he clicked on it. 

 

The usual despotic rulers were at the top, obviously. But….number three..number three was not a president, was in fact ranked on top of the president of the US. Number three…

 

His face, smiling and neat from over a year ago when he did a press shoot, smiled back at him. The neat Times New Roman letters spelling out his name by the number took him by surprise. 

 

He shouted. His hands flew in the air, and he knew that this was the sign that he had been looking for. Suddenly, all those hours moping and barely having energy seemed trivial to him now in the midst of his joy. 

 

He got it. He got the sign. 

 

Now, he had something notable to look forward to telling the woman who raised him and encouraged him so many years ago. 

 

Now, he could go back to Allura. 

 

He set his phone carefully on the nightstand, clicking off the lamp in the process as he returned to his curled position under the blankets. And in the darkness, he smiled so hard that his cheeks burned. 

 

~

He tracked her down pretty easily. She hadn’t left the area, just had shifted one town over, which meant that it was only a thirty minute drive from his place to hers. He didn’t mind it at all, and throughout the ride, his leg bounced up and down uncharacteristically. 

 

He looked up at the apartment building looming in front of him with butterflies in his stomach. That feeling didn’t go away as he ascended the stairs. As he stood in front of apartment 2C, those butterflies turned into his heart threatening to beat out of his chest. 

 

He took a deep breath. This was what he had been working for. Now or never. 

 

Heart suddenly jumping up into his mouth, he raised his arm, and knocked. 

 

“One moment!” A voice called out, soft and like a tinkle of bells, and oh god, he hadn’t heard that voice in so long…

 

Before he could dwell on how much he had missed her, the door swung open, revealing an Allura dressed in sweats, hair a mess, and a cute furrow in her brow. 

 

“Shiro,” She gasped, her face relaxing when she saw him. 

 

“Hey, Allura.” He managed the most awkward half-wave ever, and proceeded to hate himself for the next thirty seconds for that dumb move. “Do you mind if I come in?”

 

“No, no--come in.” She stepped aside, allowing him entry. 

 

“Nice house.”

 

“Thanks. So--forgive me, but why are you here?” She asked with a tilt of her head, arms crossing as confusion filled her features. 

 

He turned around to face her, arms folding neatly behind his back. “I--um-” That list he had made certainly knew how to slip his mind when he needed it the most. “Allura….I--It’s been hell for me without you. But---I finished. I’m done with work, and I’m ready to be back with you, if you’ll have me. I’ve finally gotten what I wanted, and I’m ready to go down to my town and tell her. And--there’s no one I’d rather have by my side on the trip than you.” He admitted. 

 

She looked at him for what seemed to be a long time, before she spoke. “No.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“No. I won’t have you back. You have to realize how this looks, Shiro. You left the friendship we had, the possible romance we could have had for your job. You chose your job over everything. And I understood that. I respected the fact that you had a greater goal that you had to achieve in order to be at peace. But watch. There’s only so long you can go before you want to move onto the next thing. And then you’ll choose your work over me again, and I’ll be left behind feeling like a dirty mistress.”

 

“I won’t--”

 

“-You will. If you’ve done it once, there is always the chance you will do it again. Whether or not you do is not the point. It’s the fact that I can’t trust that you’ll dedicate yourself. Besides, you’re the one who didn’t want a soulmate, so what changed?”

 

His gaze turned into a heartbroken one. “Because life is absolutely not the same without you in it. It was so hard, Allura. So hard, I swear. It would have been so much easier if I had just listened to you, if I had maintained a relationship with you and supported you, it would have been---so much easier. It..well, it sucked, Allura. It really did. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of seeing you. I remade myself. I’m better. Give me a chance.”

 

Maybe it was the anguish contained in his gray eyes, or the fact that she had never really been able to move on despite the year apart, she relented. “Fine. What is it that you want?”

 

“5 weeks.” He answered. “Give me five weeks to earn back your trust. To prove that I’m new, that I’m different, that I’ve changed. Every weekend, we’ll go out on a date. At the end of the five weeks, you tell me or not whether you want me back. If yes, I’ll spend every moment of my life cherishing you. If no, then I’ll leave you alone.” 

 

She relented. She had the option to back out if she wanted to, and Shiro seemed to be seriously genuine about the entire thing. “Okay.” She whispered. 

 

His face melted into a big smile, and she keened internally. That smile, so unencumbered, bright….despite her distance being her own punishment, she had truly missed him. 

 

“Is it too soon to ask for a hug?” He asked, so shy, so careful with her now, and had she not craved the same thing, she might have said no. She didn’t bother with a proper response to the question, and walked to him, wrapping her arms and letting his bigger frame envelop her. Immediately, his arms came to circle her, and he pulled her closer, his face burying in her hair. She missed him, missed this. The solidness of his body, the steadiness. It really did seem as though he had missed her as well. 

 

“Do you have somewhere to be?” She asked, her voice slightly muffled by his shirt. 

 

“No.” He responded, voice just as muffled. 

 

“Then...stay? For a little bit.” She offered, reluctantly breaking apart from the hug. He nodded immediately, and took her hand, leading her over to her couch. On it, Shiro made the considerably-sized couch look tiny, but he had no complaints as he gently sat her down next to him, and returned her to his embrace. 

 

Her fingers fiddled with the hem of his shirt, and she could feel his hands gently playing with his hair. She loved having her hair played with, loved the feeling of the air fluttering against the nape of her neck as the strands moved. The action just made her melt into him even more. 

 

She quietly asked him about what happened in his life during the year apart, and he gladly filled her in. She clutched him when he talked about the darkest time in his whole life, and tightened her hold even more when he talked about how he had missed her. At the news of his victory, she rejoiced with him, planting a kiss on his cheek in her exuberance. 

 

He asked her about her life as well, and she filled him in. Her life had been largely simple. She worked, getting promoted. She was on the verge on possibly finding a carbon based solution that would be less destructive than household pain medication, and was excited about her chances. But her story followed the same path as his. Both had worked themselves to death to cope with the loss of one another. 

 

As the sun sank, the conversation died, and the couple sank into a comfortable silence. Her forehead was tucked into the crook of his neck, and his arms promised to keep her close and safe. 

 

He had to go, Shiro didn’t really think that staying the night on the first day of restarting things with someone was good. But he smiled at her as the two lingered in the doorway, and pressed a kiss to her forehead before leaving. 

 

And if one thought that Allura closed the door and slumped against it, uttering a lovesick sigh as she slid down, they’d be right. 

 

** ONE WEEK POST-RECONNECTION **

 

The week flew by, and it really didn’t seem that different than all the other weeks that she had experienced, if she was honest. She woke up in the morning, packed her lunch, went to work, came  back home, ate. Same thing, over and over again. 

 

Except, the week was different. There was a smile on her face that she simply couldn’t shake off, and she kept her morale high as she waited for Saturday to come. Shiro lifted her spirits from time to time with the cute little texts he sent her every day. 

 

[morning, beautiful.]

 

[morning, yourself.]

 

[wow, okay, so i’m not nice looking or anything worth mentioning?!]

 

[fine, morning, handsome]

 

[that’s better :) all jokes aside, how are you?] 

 

[dealing. I’m about to murder Karen from work.]

 

(Karen was talking loudly about how one of the scientists on the lower floor had gotten a nose job that really didn’t go too well. Now, Allura was a patient person, but if she had to hear Karen’s cackling laughter one more time, or hear ‘And it looks like a rotten tomato!’, then she was going to stab her with a pencil.)

 

Ding! Another message. She scrambled to pick up her phone. 

 

[is she gossiping loudly by the microscopes again?]

 

[yup.]

 

[tell me if you need a shovel and a helping hand, baby. I got you covered.]

 

[my hero! I knew there was a reason why i kept you around.]

 

Just the little term of endearment, “Baby” was enough to pull a smile to her lips and a blush to her cheeks. She completely forgot about Karen and her annoying tendencies, and spent the rest of the day, Shiro always on her mind. 

 

Friday night, he texted her again. 

 

[Wear something comfy tomorrow. Casual. Will pick you up at 9 in the morning. ;) ]

 

[Perfect.] She sent back, heart pounding. [Can’t wait to see you.]

 

She decided to pick her clothes out that very night, and picked out a pair of light skinny jeans. She matched it with a cream colored sweater, with small little pearls here and there. It wasn’t that cold outside, but it did become chilly here and there. She decided to forgo the boots, and instead settled on cute black strappy sandals. 

 

That forethought definitely came in handy in the morning. Allura was able to take her time with the shower and the styling in her hair (she neatly braided it back in a french braid), and her makeup. She dabbed a bit of highlight on her cheekbones, applied her creme colored eyeshadow, and finished with her eyeliner. Makeup was something that she did very rarely, and although she aspired to be better with the tools, she never had the time to practice. As a result, her makeup was light, but elegant. 

 

He came early, as always. When she bounced to open the door, he was there, holding beautiful pink roses. “I didn’t know what your favorite flowers were, so I picked the pink ones that they had.” He said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck in an adorable manner as he handed the flowers over. 

 

She smelled the blooms, allowing the aroma to fill her senses, before opening her eyes and grinning at him. “These are wonderful, Shiro. Thank you-!” She giggled, running off to quickly find a vase and put the flowers in water. 

 

She returned to him and began to start out the door, but he swiftly caught her hand and stopped her. “Wait.” He said simply, in response to her questioning look. “I just want to take you in.” 

 

The gaze he showered over her was full of adoration, and there wasn’t a single dishonest note in his voice as he murmured, “You’re gorgeous.” 

 

She, on the other hand, was rendered breathless, and could only press a soft kiss to his cheek in response, blushing furiously. 

 

The drive was pretty short, and he dragged her to the mall. “Are we going shopping?” She asked incredulously.

 

He snorted. “Not in the way that you think. We’re just here to pick up something before heading off to our final destination.” He said as he guided his car into a spot, and made his way around the nose of the car to open her door for her. 

 

They walked inside, hand in hand, and Allura was pretty content to let Shiro tug her in the correct direction. They walked until they came across the store with big letters spelling out Eataly on the door. 

 

“Eataly?” She asked, the word seeming foreign on her tongue.  The place was decorated like a rooftop, with little booths here and there selling different things. There was a place for wine, for bread, for so much. The entire place followed olive tones and had cute little decorations here and there. 

 

“Yup. Like Italy, but it’s a play on words. Here, you get the best Italian ingredients and food. Pick out some food items that you like, and then let’s get going.” He said. 

 

They walked the aisles and the booths, and eventually got an authentic Italian pizza, a panini, some pesto and some bread, and some fizzy drinks. He paid for the purchase and ducked out of the shop with her as quickly as they had come. 

 

“Where to next?” She asked, seeing that the car was now going up an incline, a grassy hill. 

 

“Patience.” He reprimanded her as he found a clearing under some trees, and parked his car.  He snagged a small little basket he had prepared in advance, along with the bag with their things from Eataly. Luckily, the route that he planned was a slight walk, but nothing too big. He led her over to a grassy hill, where he snagged a blanket from the basket and spread it out. “A small little picnic.” He winked at her. 

 

“Oh--Shiro--” She gasped, sinking down onto the blanket. “It’s so gorgeous here!” She laughed. Their little spot had the most beautiful view of the city sprawled out in front of him. They turned to the food and set everything up. The jar of pesto was carefully opened, the loaf of bread neatly cut, the pizza sliced and the panini split in two. They had a bit of a struggle opening the fizzy drinks, but Allura’s eyelash curler definitely saved the day on that one. They sat together, trading bites of food, and making small talk here and there. 

 

Allura got to learn more about him. He asked her to call him Takashi, he loved the color black, and he desperately wanted a pet. She also learned that if she fed him, he would patiently allow her to, but would whine when she didn’t feed him quickly enough. 

 

The same was true for Shiro. He got to know that she absolutely hated tomatoes (seen by the way she gingerly picked out the vegetable in her panini and handed it over to him), she adored pizza, and that she loved cheesy romance movies. 

 

“Don’t forget about dessert--” He nudged her, beckoning to the small little muffin he had. 

 

“But I ate so much! I’m so full---” She grumbled, and continued to grumble as he broke off little pieces of the muffin and fed it to her. 

 

By the end of their meal, they were completely sated. The sun hung over them in a lower position than before, and the heat didn’t beat down on their backs so relentlessly. They sipped their sodas, leaning into one another and trading witty banter with every sip. 

 

As the sun threatened to sink below the hills in the distance, they stretched out on the blanket. Allura laid back, her back flat against the grass, and looked at Shiro, who was stretched out on his side so he could look at her. 

 

“You’re giving me that look again.” She said, shy and blushing under his gaze. His hand reached up and gently stroked away some flyaway strands of her hair back behind her ear. 

 

“What look?” He asked, picking up the tailend of her braid and brushing her cheek with it, drawing out a light giggle from Allura. 

 

“That look. The one where you look at me like I’m the best thing ever.”

 

She swore her breathing stopped as his head ducked and his lips gently grazed her lips. “That’s because you are.”

 

She giggled and pushed him down onto the blanket, ignoring his startled yelp of surprise, and slid on top of him. His arms immediately came around her, and the young couple rested like that for a while. 

 

They both fell asleep, the warmth of one another and the sun creating a nice atmosphere. When they woke, they maintained the comfortable silence they had drifted off into. Shiro’s hand gently rubbed her back, and Allura traced small little patterns here and there on his chest. Periodically, he hummed and planted soft little kisses along the crown of her hair. 

 

She definitely didn’t want the day to end. But as he dropped her off at her doorstep and guided her into another soft kiss, she had next week to look forward to. 

 

** TWO WEEKS POST-REUNION **

 

The week had definitely been rough for Shiro. There was still so much that he had to do with his company. He was always seeking to improve, to expand, but he wanted to do the job once and correctly, the first time. Which meant that everything was going way slower than expected, and although he had half-expected this in the first place, it drove him insane. 

 

_ Don’t be upset. _ On Tuesday Allura’s voice, soft and understanding, rang through the speaker.  _ It’s just a minor setback.  _

 

“I know,” He groaned. “But I needed this done a while ago, and when I bring it up, I’m seen as the bad person. I’m so frustrated with the procrastination.”

 

_ I understand, Takashi. Don’t worry. Remember, now that you’ve brought it up to their attention and have told them that you are going to be expecting it done, they’ll do it. But if you’re still not convinced, check your coat pocket. I snuck something in just in case you needed a small little pick-me-up.  _ Her voice, tinged with amusement, guided his hand to his coat pocket.

 

He felt a small little object, in what seemed to be a plastic wrapping. Curious, he pulled out the object to find a Twix bar. He remembered telling her that it was his favorite candy. 

 

“You’re a lifesaver.” He murmured thankfully as he peeled back the shiny gold wrapper and popped the delicacy into his mouth. His teeth effortlessly cut through the chocolate and the cookie, accompanied with the warm gush of caramel.

 

_ I know.  _ She said, voice bubbling with mirth. 

 

Nevertheless to say, the week had presented many challenges to Shiro, who was so worn out that he was begging for Saturday to come already. 

 

But here he was standing in front of the door with a bouquet of yellow carnations (she still refused to tell him her favorite type of flowers because she was interested and eager to see what flowers he chose for her) and he raised his hand and knocked on her door. 

 

He wasn’t really surprised to see that she wasn’t dressed. 

 

“Rough week?” He asked her. The resulting hug she gave him was answer enough. 

 

“Can we just….stay here for a little bit? Just relax?” She asked, and based on the exhaustion in her voice, Shiro could really tell that this week had taken a toll on her.

 

“You read my mind.” He said, handing her the flowers before bending down and swooping her off her feet. He carried her inside, bridal style, and used his foot to push the door closed. He pressed a sweet kiss to her forehead as he kicked off his shoes by the door, and shuffled in the direction of her bedroom. He set her down gently, and pushed back her hair. “Today will be a nap date. Because, we’ve both had rough weeks, and you look exhausted. When you wake up, I’ll make you something.” He promised, sliding into bed with her. He made sure that the covers were tucked all around her petite frame, before pulling her into his arms. 

 

“Bless your soul for that.” She answered sleepily as she nuzzled into his chest. “Did your people finally stop procrastinating and do their work?” she asked. 

 

“Yeah, they did. That Twix you gave me really helped me get through, though.” He answered honestly. 

 

“I’ll take note of that.” She responded, before closing her eyes, burying her face in his chest, a clear sign that she most definitely did not want to be disturbed. He let her fall asleep in his arms, before the exhaustion from the week caught up with him. Her bed was inviting, and the warmth of her small body curled into his made him close his eyes and allowed to be lulled into a deep sleep. 

 

When he woke up, the entire afternoon had passed, and evening had dawned upon them. The woman he had held so tenderly in his arms was missing. He yawned, stretching, before patting the sheets gently to see if she had rolled away. No such luck. Some rustling in the kitchen gave him his clue as to where his missing princess might be. 

 

He reluctantly pulled himself out of her bed, and shuffled off to the kitchen, where he saw Allura gliding from one end of the room to another, cooking calmly. He came up behind her when she was standing at the stove, and wrapped his arms around her. 

 

“Good morning, sleepyhead.” She greeted. 

 

“Why didn’t you wake me up?”

 

“You looked so cute when you were asleep that I couldn’t bear it. Besides, I thought I’d make dinner.”

 

“Mm, what are you making?” 

 

“Alfredo and Pesto ravioli with mushrooms. I’ve just set it to bake for thirty minutes, so I have some time to spend with you.” She teased as she turned around and gently tugged him out of the kitchen. 

 

This time, they curled up on the couch together, watching TV. They flicked through a few channels, but there really wasn’t anything interesting. So they decided to revert to Allura’s comfort show and watch the sitcom FRIENDS. 

 

Shiro hadn’t really watched the show before, but he knew that Allura was crazy about it. Now that he was watching it, he just may have found his new TV show. The humor and personalities behind each and every friend definitely made him feel at home. 

 

(He especially loved Chandler. No, it wasn’t the fact Chandler was also Allura’s favorite character, but it was about the fact that he resonated with the workings of the character on a personal level.)

 

“Dinner’s ready. Let me go pull everything out of the oven. You sit here and watch, I’ll fix you a plate.” She said, looking at him sternly and pushing him down when he tried to sit up. 

 

She disappeared into the kitchen, and for the risk of getting hit with a spatula, Shiro did not decide to follow her. She came back with two plates filled with pasta and garlic bread. “Eat.” She said, handing him the plate and dropping a kiss to his head. 

 

He didn’t stay that night, they weren’t ready for that yet. He was fine with their quiet dinner and the domestic bliss that surrounded them, and he thought he saw regret in her eyes when he kissed her by the door and left. 

 

** THREE WEEKS POST-REUNION **

 

“I’m really sorry, baby, but I’m going to have to call a rain-check on tonight.” He winced as he said the words, cringing as he pictured her beautiful face falling.

 

“I see.” Her voice was calm and measured. “Can I ask why?” 

 

“I have….a lot of work to do. I’m a bit behind at the office. You know how it is, Allura.” He murmured, carefully treading. 

 

“Mm, no. I’m not really sure how it is. Please tell me, Takashi, how this is different from the last time when you prioritized your work over me.” Her voice sounded sharp. 

 

“Because it’s one time! I swear, it’s one time. This isn’t going to happen again, I promise, baby.”

 

“Hm.” Was the only response as she hung up on him, leaving him to bang his head against the desk. His job couldn’t have worse timing. She had been especially excited for the date today, seeing how she was the one planning it out, and his work had to come in and interfere. 

 

Allura was livid and heartbroken, Shiro had gotten that right. The young woman had planned out an entire evening, had even made reservations. She had been planning the entire week in advance, and it felt like this experience was a repeat of what had happened to cause their original split. Her heart broke as she had to call to cancel the reservations and everything that she had planned, but tried to keep calm. Shiro would have had a good reason for this. It wouldn’t mean that it would happen again, right?

 

She sighed as she poured herself a glass of red, her hand clutching at the thin stem of the wineglass. In her other hand was her phone, and she was complaining to one of her friends over what had transpired. 

 

“Allura, I’m sure he’s just….y’know. Held up at work.”

 

“You can’t convince me, Romelle. I’m so upset at him.”

 

“You don’t really sound that way.” Her friend’s voice was light and teasing. 

 

“Shut up. I just...I don’t want to ruin the thing he has going on, because I love him like this, but this...this just reminds me of how we used to be.” Allura groaned, ditching the wineglass for the actual bottle, sipping heavily from the top. 

 

Romelle eventually managed to soothe Allura, and as the hours passed, the two friends chatted until Romelle fell asleep on her end. 

 

Allura wasn’t quite sure what happened, but in her drunken stupor, she might have fallen off the couch and landed on her ankle the wrong way, the pain so blinding that she passed out immediately. 

 

Which is why she didn’t hear Shiro, knocking lightly on the door with apology flowers and chocolates to make up for his absence. 

 

“Allura, honey? Baby, I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” He knocked, but no answer. He sighed dejectedly, and after a few minutes passed of him repeating the same thing again and again, he turned away. No answer from her. Oh well. He’d have to call her tomorrow. 

 

-

 

“Hey, sweetie.” His voice sounded relieved that she had picked up.

 

“Hey, Takashi.” She groaned out, her head spinning. She had been woken up by the ringing of her phone, and her head hurt like someone had stomped on it. What had happened last night? She remembered the date being cancelled, but that was it. Why was she on the ground instead of the couch, and why did her ankle hurt so much?

 

“I’m really sorry about yesterday. I didn’t mean for it to be a repeat of the last time, I genuinely got behind and I promise that it won’t happen again.” He murmured into the phone. 

 

She groaned softly as she pushed herself up. Yup, her ankle most definitely did not look okay. “It’s fine, Kashi. Don’t worry about it. I had a nice time with a bottle of red, and fell asleep. Did work go okay?”

 

“Yeah, it went well. We still on for next week?”

 

“Yeah, that sounds good. Can you just plan instead?”

 

Shiro definitely felt terrible by this point. She no longer wanted to plan an evening out for them. “Yeah, baby. I can.” He’d definitely have to make it up to her. 

 

“Alright. I’ll see you next week.” Allura said, wincing as she touched her misshapen ankle. 

 

“Bye, babe.”

 

“Bye.”

 

** FOUR WEEKS POST-SEPARATION **

 

“Hey! You look wonderful---what happened to your foot?!” Shiro shrieked. Allura had just opened the door, and she definitely looked stunning in her dark purple dress and her silvery hair pinned up, but his gaze immediately caught on her foot wrapped in a white bandage. 

 

“Just a little sprain, dear.” She soothed. “I fell off the couch last week when I was drunk.”

 

“Will you be able to come today? If not, I understand. Allura, you should be resting.” Shiro fussed, taking one of her hands and pressing a soft kiss to the back of it. 

 

“No, no. I’ll be fine, honey. Don’t worry. Can you just help me wear my heels?” She asked sweetly. 

 

He gently scooped her up, sitting her down on the Ottoman by the door that served for this purpose, and grabbed her heels. He knelt down, slowly sliding one shoe onto the not-injured foot. 

 

Her hand slowly brushed back the hair that had fallen into his face, and he slowly pressed a kiss to her calf. 

 

“Not exactly the situation in which I had imagined you in this position, but I’ll take it.” She joked, but when he looked up, her eyes were dark. He pressed a kiss to her knee, just to hear her breath catch as he slowly worked his way up. Her heels were left abandoned as he pushed back the skirt of her dress to trail kisses up and down her thighs. 

 

He was suddenly yanked upwards to her, their lips meeting in a hungry kiss. He ungracefully picked her up and twined his fingers in her hair, their tongues fighting for dominance within the kiss. 

 

“You don’t know how long I’ve waited.” She growled as she tugged his hair back to ravish his mouth once again. 

 

“I think I have an idea.” He shot back, making his way to her bedroom, before she shut him up with a kiss again. 

 

-

 

“That was…” He began, but the slow kiss she pressed to the center of his chest and the view of the sunlight filtering in through the curtains and coating her body in a radiant glow made him trail off and forget what he was going to say. 

 

“Mmmhm.” She agreed drowsily with his incomplete thought, the way his prosthetic thumb rubbed circles on her back rendering her incapable of words. 

 

“Is your foot okay?” He asked worriedly, squeezing her hip to gain her attention. She nodded, and snuggled into his chest, her hands rubbing up and down his sides. She was never vocal when she was tired, and it seemed that he had tired her out. 

 

Well, he was pretty damn tired too. Kudos to her. 

 

He drifted asleep to the time of her rubbing comfort into his sides, the soft strands of her hair silkily slipping through his fingers, and the warmth of her resting on top of him. When they both awoke, it was late afternoon. 

 

“Morning, my Takashi.” She smiled at him lazily, stretching. He watched her body ripple with fascination, and tried not to think about the way he glowed at the two letters she had placed before his name. 

 

“Does that solidify it? Am I yours now? Are you wholly, completely mine?” He asked, nuzzling her cheek with his nose. 

 

She snickered, playing with the strands of his hair. “Absolutely not. You’re a businessman, you shouldn’t cut corners. A deal’s a deal, and we agreed five weeks. This is only week four. So no, no matter how much I want to make you scream my name like last night, I’m not giving in juuuust yet. You have to wait one more week, babe.” She winked, and suddenly she was gone, leaving him to clutch at empty air. 

 

“Allura!” He protested, pouting at her as her hips swayed suggestively. 

 

She shot him a coy wink over her shoulder. “I’m in the shower if you need me.” 

 

Turns out, he did need her, and the way her fingers and her mouth worked magic on him was enough to get him over the lack of an answer she had given him. 

 

“We’re so not young anymore.” He panted, resting his head against the shower wall as she stood back up. 

 

“Speak for yourself, old man. I’m still young and hot.” She teased, obliging him with a kiss that was all soft and sweet, a direct contrast to what she had been doing to him a few minutes before. 

 

“Are we still on for next week--hey!” He protested as she stole the towel he had wrapped around his waist. 

 

“Oh, definitely. After all, next week is the last week.” She said with a cocky grin, kissing his cheek. 

 

To retaliate for her lack of an answer, he teased her relentlessly that they had finally broken the last set of rules that she had set for them so long ago. The blush decorating her cheeks was absolutely adorable. 

 

That day, he left her apartment with a glow on his cheeks and the biggest stupid smile anyone could have. He didn’t even realize it as he came into work late. 

 

** FIVE WEEKS POST-SEPARATION **

 

“Plane tickets?” She raised an eyebrow. 

 

“You’ll see.” He winked at her, which earned a squeal and a kiss from his lady. 

 

Although they had been teasing each other of thoughts of joining the mile-high club, they had managed to keep their hands off of one another and sit peacefully next to one another. Shiro fell asleep against her shoulder while she read, and one of her hands stroked his hair gently. 

 

When they touched down, they were in a small town airport, you know. The kind where there’s not much to do, where there’s practically no one around. You know. That kind of airport. Gathering their checked in bags was a hassle, considering the fact that there was only one carousel and there was already another plane competing for the same one. 

 

Eventually, though, they had gotten their checked bags and made their way to the entrance where they touched bases with the driver assigned to them. 

 

“Are you tired? We can go to the hotel.” He said, once they were seated in the backseat of the car. It was glamorous and comfortable, and judging by the way Allura looked curiously and excitedly around, she liked the car too. He made a mental note of that, maybe he could get her a better version for her birthday. 

 

“Absolutely not. I’m not tired. But I would like you to tell me what we are doing here.” She said, shooting him a sweet smile that promise retribution if he didn’t spill their secret plans.

 

His only response to that was a mischievous smile. He leaned up and whispered something in the driver’s ear, who nodded and immediately swerved the car into another lane. Allura raised an eyebrow curiously, but otherwise stayed patient. Good, her questions would be answered soon. 

 

When the driver did park, Shiro got out quickly and ran around to the other side to help her out of the car. He gently took her hand and helped her out, before tugging her to stand on the sidewalk next to him. He gestured to what was in front of them with a flourish of his arm. 

 

In front of them, a worn out building stood. Moss covered the entrance, and dead leaves lay scattered in front of the worn out path. A once-vibrant sign read ‘Nott’s Orphanage’, but the words and the paint was faded and worn. The orphanage had a unappealing quality, based on the way the windows were reinforced with a fence. 

 

“What’s this?” Allura asked carefully, tilting her head as she looked at him. 

 

“Home. This is where I grew up for the most of my life, when I wasn’t bouncing from one foster home to another.” He said softly. Allura turned to him and took in his expression, burdened with the memories of his childhood. 

 

“Would you like to show me?” She asked softly as she gently ran her thumb across his knuckles. 

 

He brightened and nodded. “That’s actually why I brought you here. I wonder if you remember when I talked about having only one mother figure? She’s a worker here, you know.”  He said as he led her up the worn path, and pushed open the door. 

 

“Irene?” He called out, slowly walking past the receptionist’s desk. Although Shiro led Allura, she looked around. The place was dusty, as though it hadn’t been occupied in a long time. There were posters and toys strewn about, and even slight coloring marks on the walls in a way that only a child could do. The place made her feel sad, because of the eerie silence associated with a place that should have been filled with noise and laughter. 

 

“Yes?” A woman who looked to be in her fifties stepped out. She blinked at the young man and the young woman next to him, before her eyes focused. “Is that….Takashi?” She asked. Her face broke into a great grin and she rushed forward, yanking Shiro into her arms. The man was just as excited to see the woman and hugged her tightly.  

 

Tears streamed down her face. “Oh, Takashi. You’ve grown so much! Such a handsome boy. Oh, and with a smart young woman nonetheless!” She blubbered, cupping his cheeks in her hands like a mother would do to her son. 

 

“I just wanted to thank you, Irene. For raising me and doing your best, even though I wasn’t the easiest child. I wanted to show you that I took your advice. I’m successful, I’m happy. I’m doing so much better.”

 

“Oh, I’m so happy for you, my child. You deserve the world. It hurt my heart to see you so dejected, so cold, but I see the growth in your eyes.” She murmured, and they exchanged a few more affectionate comments. Irene talked to Allura a bit, talking about what she did and how they had met, and everything. 

 

Two hours had passed, and the trio had eventually wound up in Irene’s office, blowing on hot tea the woman made and taking small sips. Stories were exchanged, with Shiro’s recount of his life and how he had met Allura, as well as stories of Shiro’s youth. 

 

“He was a troublemaker! Don’t let those gray eyes fool you! He was a prankster, smart, and witty. But he was a good kid. When he couldn’t sleep, he’d wander into the kitchen and help me clean. He’d tuck in other kids. He was a good kid, and I can see he’s a better man.” Irene praised, Shiro’s cheeks on fire next to Allura. 

 

“He’s the best.” Allura murmured, rubbing her thumb over Shiro’s knuckles. 

 

Eventually, they left, and Shiro noticed that Allura was quieter than usual on the way back. 

 

“This scared you off, didn’t it? It was too much, wasn’t it? I’m sorry.” He apologized, looking at her with a worried expression. 

 

She turned and smiled, reaching out to take his hand. “No, no. Tak...I’m….I’m having a hard time putting my thoughts into words, but you can’t believe that I’m so honored. I’m so honored that you decided to take me back to your hometown, to show me where you came from. I know...I know you are a man who values his privacy and likes to think less of his upbringing, but I’m so happy that you felt comfortable enough to share this with me.” She said, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. 

 

“Then why are you crying, sweetheart?” He crooned, reaching to gently pull her next to him. 

 

“I’m so upset. You deserved so much better, Kashi. A house, a loving family. The world was so unfair to you.” She whispered, tears threatening to spill. The second moisture slipped from her eyes, he caught it with his thumb, brushing the tear away. 

 

Shiro was at a loss for words. This young woman, this gorgeously stunning woman who was smarter than he was and adept in all fields of life, was crying at the unfair treatment he received from the world. He pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her tightly. “Don’t cry. Don’t cry, sweetheart. My childhood wasn’t the best, and as a result, I wasn’t the best, but it’s all because of you that I’ve grown. Please don’t cry, love. I love you so much for being the light to my darkness, and am madly in love with you, Allura Altea.”

 

Proposing love in the backseat of the car? Definitely not how he had planned it out, but the moment seemed so tender, fresh, and absolutely so right. 

 

“Oh, Takashi.” She said softly, the tears not quelling despite his insistence, and reached up to gently frame the sides of his face with her hands. “I love you, so, so much. I’m glad that I didn’t say no to your five weeks thing.” She teased through the tears slowly slipping down her face. 

 

“I’m glad too. Does this mean you’re mine now?” He asked cheekily, raising his eyebrow at her. 

 

“Absolutely, which also means you’re mine too.” She said with a laugh that made his heart warm. 

 

“Forever and always.” He said as he captured her lips in a deep kiss. The electricity that accompanied soulmates zinged through him, and he lost himself in the bliss of their lips moving together, as one. 

 

When they had broken apart, him resting his forehead on hers, she pinched his side. “Which means that I’m yours, not the company.” She snorted. 

 

He squirmed away with a barking laugh, and retaliated by tickling her ribs. “The company hasn’t been the sun of my life in a very, very long time. Has something to do with a woman with waist-length silver hair and a smile that makes me forget my name.” 

 

Allura liked that comment so much that she rewarded him with a kiss that turned into many and left both participants panting and looking ravished.

 

-

 

In the end, there was a small wedding, vows of love exchanged, and grinning faces. 

 

Altea became Shirogane, white hair clashed with black hair. 

 

Soon there was a little addition to the Shiroganes, a bright and bubbly canine, big and skittering around the kitchen, wagging his tail. 

 

After that, there were two more additions. Alfor Shirogane, named after Allura’s late father, and Sara Shirogane. Both were lively additions, with the youngest Shirogane preferring her father, and the older one preferring his mother. 

 

“And that, dear, is how I met your father.” Allura murmured, closing the book that held the sacred account of her and her husband’s story. 

 

“More like how I met your mother.” Shiro winked at Allura, both of them giggling over the TV show references. The kids laughed too, not knowing what the joke was. 

 

“Will I have a love story like that too, Daddy?” Sara peeked up from under the blanket. 

 

“Of course, baby.” Shiro said, pressing a kiss to the forehead of the child that looked exactly like him. 

 

Alfor cuddled into his mother’s side. “Tell us again!” He begged, and Allura and Shiro shared a wink over the tops of their children’s heads. 

 

This time, Shiro began telling the story. Allura pulled her children close and settled against her husband’s chest as he began. 

 

“When you find your soulmate, the world erupts into color….”

 

**Author's Note:**

> EEE! So sorry for the long wait! 
> 
> I'm thinking of making a third part of this to talk about the klance soulmate bond. 
> 
> Tell me what you thought! Drop a kudos if you enjoyed! 
> 
> Catch me on tumblr: @chai_and_coffee


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